Blog Post Number 3

My emotions have varied from extreme excitement or sunken into a lowly despair (I became very irritable on many of our site visits because I was tired due to the fact that I couldn't shut my big fat mouth and go to sleep). Our first trip to Haworth was the first time my inside's were bursting with pride and jubilation because I walked to the top of the moors and was able to look upon "Top Withens". I was overwhelmed with joy because I pushed my self physically as well as mentally further than I thought I could have ever achieved. I was able to walk in Emily and Charlotte Bronte's footsteps which to me ( and my mother) was a dream coming true. I now have a souvenir that no one can ever take from me because it is a feeling/emotion locked inside of my mind and in times of deep thought I can recall this memory and smile. I recognize Charlotte/ Emily's need for solitude which perpetuated the idea of strong female heroines in both of their literary writings. I observed that Josie, Katie, Christi, and Melissa all felt very accomplished after the long and treacherous hike through mud, rain, heat, sheep poo. We all celebrated together and congratulated one another on such a huge achievement. This, then, created a bond between us all for being courageous enough to conquer the unknown and proved that 21st century women are just as capable as Victorian writers to scale rocky hill sides!!

I feel differently at each site visit because my emotions at Haworth & Sherwood Forest are Incorporated with positive child hood memories of movies (Jane Eyre, Wuethering Heights, and Robin Hood) that I have enjoyed to watch over and over. Visiting these particular sites are comparatively my hajj because the "sublime" was invoked through my inner being and through out all of my senses because fantasy became a reality. The stories are real because I believe them to be. I cannot definitely say that the others in the group have the same emotional attachment as I share for these particular sites but I can say without hesitation that everyone has come to appreciate the writers of all of the literary pieces we have read so far, and through are site visits many were able to embrace the text and authors more competently.

Newstead is a new place to me because I have only been introduced to Lord Byron's poetry very recently. Honestly, I was intrigued by the beautiful landscape and the monastery but I was unable to connect with his home no deeper than for "cosmetic appeal". It will take time for me to appreciate Lord Byron as a literary master and I plan on reading more of his poetry and biographical depictions of his life to fully appreciate the wonderful gift I was given to visit his home. (I just need a little more time!!).

If I was to surmise any conclusions about emotions I could only say that, everyone in our group is unique and special in their own way. Some are able to comprehend big theories and other are very specific detail orientated individuals who contribute insightful interpretations of our readings. Our groups ability to speak freely is based on a mutual trust and comfort Professor Benander has allowed the group to form (or maybe it just evolved naturally). I can honestly say that in public our group is much louder than other groups (but the English have obviously mastered the skill of whispering at an early age!!). We are all strangers in a foreign country and I believe this has made us latch on closely with one another, so in a way, our common ground is that we are all Americans who share the same incapability of talking quietly in public!!